Earlier this year, I was giving a lecture and conducting a live cover photo shoot at Samy’s Camera here in Los Angeles for photographers of all levels. I began the lecture with a statement that was so simple, so earnest, you would expect to hear it from your own mother. I asked each attendee to [...]
Celebrity fashion photographer Jerry Avenaim gives Kimora Lee Simmons a crash course in high-end advertising fashion photography so she can shoot her men’s fall campaign Phat Premium. So, will she sink or swim? Fashion is one of the most critiqued form of genres in photography, advertising is one of the most financially funded types of [...]
Fashion Photographer Jerry Avenaim has been a highly sought out teacher and speaker regularly within the photographic community at events such as Photo Imaging and Design Expo, Photo Marketing Association International (PMA) and Photo Plus Expo in New York since 2002. Jerry has inspired and guided a generation of photographers through his lectures to students at [...]
The BuzzThe big buzz was about digital video on DSLRs, and editing that video. I saw a number of vendors selling different mounts and stedicam-like brackets for getting smooth hand-held HD video from DSLRs, and everybody was talking video (which is weird for a photo tradeshow). Lightroom 3 was getting some buzz, but since Adobe [...]
Here are some tips and tricks you can use every day for photographing fashion, beauty and celebrity portraits. Because society views celebrities and supermodels as larger than life subjects, I try and fulfill the viewers ‘perception’ by using a few simple formulas. First, when creating a dynamic portrait I use a long lens. This will [...]
As a fashion photographer, one of the hardest things any photographer will ever have to do is to find his or her own style. In my earlier works I was very influenced by the people I worked for. Patrick Demarchelier for one – I found Peter Lindberg and Richard Avedon had influenced me the most. [...]
I hope you enjoy this 30 minute interview, it went by quickly for us both. There was so much more to talk about And by the way, since this interview was televised live the control booth made an error when showing my name as ‘James Avenaim’ for the first third of the show. Bastards For [...]
Here is a simple lighting solution when you’re faced with shooting a fashion photograph or a beauty shot using only natural light – at high noon! This image could have been difficult, but I made it as simple as it gets. It used to be when shooting catalog, editorial, or just about anything using sunlight, [...]
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You not only have to be good at what you do, you have to be consistent and work well under pressure. I try to set an easy and relaxed atmosphere for my clients, the celebrities and their publicist.
As you might have read in a previous article, I photographed Dr. Phil for the cover of Newsweek. Since that first cover shoot I have also photographed both Dr. Phil and his wife Robin for several other magazine and book covers. The experience is always one of joy and fulfillment with truly wonderful people. One [...]
